Sonic Underground: Retold By a Fan
by Shadowclanwarrior
Summary: Sonic Underground. The last American Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon made after the success of Sonic SatAM. A show that has been mostly forgotten by the series and only in the memories of few. It had the opportunity to be great, but it was never able to reach it. In loving memory, a fan takes it upon herself to recreate the show in the glorious image that it deserves to be remembered.
1. Episode 1

A freezing wind blew through a snowy wasteland, causing the wind chills to hit dangerous low temperatures. A lone hedgehog, in a desperate attempt, was crossing her way through the dangerous winds and snow. She pulled her coat closer to her body, putting her arms around herself as she tried to protect something precious within her coat. The winds were getting to her, and she could feel herself losing energy. But, she still kept pushing herself through, for she could not afford to stop.

Eventually, in the distance, she could faintly see the opening of what looked like a cave. The hedgehog smiled in relief, quickening her pace. Once she reached inside, she could feel an overwhelming sense of warmth flow past her body, as the cold air from the outside was kept out by a magic barrier. The hedgehog, panting heavily, fell to her knees, still keeping her arms around herself as she caught her breath. After a few minutes, she looked up, hoping to see someone who she desperately needed the help of.

"Are you here, Oracle?" the hedgehog cried out. "Oracle of Delphius, I beg for your help!"

"I know that you are here, Queen Aleena."

Aleena gasped as a glow of green appeared before her, which soon took the form of a green reptile wearing a large purple cloak. The Oracle of Delphius met Aleena's gaze.

"I knew that you would come, my queen," he said. "I have foreseen it ever since _he_ had taken over your kingdom."

Aleena blinked.

"Then...you can help me, can't you? Your powers must have seen a way to stop Dr. Robotnik, if you saw me coming to you!"

"I did, there is no denying that," the Oracle replied. "But it will not come at an easy price. But you know that, don't you, Aleena?"

He did not give her any time of respond, as he leaned down closer to her.

"I do not think it is wise to keep them so tightly wrapped up in your coat," the Oracle advised. "I'm sure to have something fitting to have them rest in, if you'll allow."

Aleena slowly nodded her head. "Of course."

Slowly, the queen freed one of her arms to open up coat just a bit. Inside, three tiny baby hedgehogs slept in her arms, completely unaware of the danger they had endured. Offering to carry one for the tired queen, Aleena let the Oracle take one of her children, while also helping her to stand up.

"Follow me, my queen."

The Oracle then led Aleena further into the cave, to where it slowly began to resembled the inside of someone's home. Aleena's eyes widened, for in the middle of the cave, three baskets laid, one able to perfectly hold one child.

"Oracle..."

Tears tried to take form in her eyes as the Oracle gently placed one of her children into a basket, gingerly tucking him in a light blue blanket. He looked up at Aleena.

"Even when you leave the warmth of this cave, your children will be safe from the cold," he explained, "for a I placed a spell on the baskets to protect them from any harm."

Aleena walked over towards the baskets and put her two other children in them.

"I...really appreciate this," she said softly. "It feels like centuries since anyone has given me kindness, even though Robotnik's takeover was less than a week ago."

The Oracle nodded.

"It is sad to see how people can turn on each other once things get bad."

He turned his back towards Aleena.

"But I am surprised to see how well your children are handling all of this. You were blessed to have such good kids, under these circumstances."

Aleena smiled sadly.

"I am. Sonic, Sonia, and Manic are all just angels..."

"Is that what you named them?"

Aleena nodded.

"It is. The tiny blue boy is Sonic and the green one is Manic. And of course the cute little girl is Sonia..."

The Oracle smiled, glancing down at each of the baby hedgehogs.

"I can see that they are going to be great rulers. Yes...Aleena, you are very lucky indeed to have three children destined for greatness."

A look of hope appeared in Aleena's gaze, as she took off her hood that covered her face.

"Oracle...tell me," she said softly, "is there a prophecy foretelling the fall of Robotnik?"

The Oracle was silent for a long moment, avoiding eye contact with the queen.

"When your children are grown up, the four of you will rise up to Robotnik and form the Council of Four," he said emotionless. "As this council, you will gain the power and influence over the citizens of Mobius, an influence so powerful it will be able to overthrow Robotnik's unstoppable army of robots. It will be a long and hard thing to accomplish, but it will mark the end of Robotnik."

Aleena clasped her hands together, an ember of hope starting to take form in her heart. But before she could tell her thanks to the Oracle, his expression turned grim.

"But to make that happen, you must make a sacrifice, one that will make the council's influence be even stronger when it is time to form it. A sacrifice...that may end up destroying you internally."

Aleena's face paled, her heart stopping for split second. The Oracle moved his gaze down towards the children.

"...In order to make sure your influence can hit the hearts of the many people of Mobius, you must allow yourself to separate from your children," he declared. "If you do not do this, your children cannot make a name for themselves and earn the trust of the people who they are sworn to rule. If they are on their own, they can live their own lives and become stronger than they ever could if they were on the run with you. The chance of them to have a normal life, the chance for them to become leaders. The chance...for them to show Mobius that they _will_ protect them."

Aleena stood completely silent, her eyes wide with shock and even a bit of horror.

How...how could the Oracle expect her to give up the only thing she had left?! She had lost her husband, lost her kingdom that she adored, lost her pride... It was like asking for her to take away her life. But if she did not do this, then all of Mobius may be forever under the rule of a tyrant. As the rightful queen, it was her duty and hers alone, to make sure her people were safe and happy.

And she had failed by allowing Robotnik to overthrow her.

Aleena looked down at her beloved, darling, beautiful children as her throat became tight. The Oracle put his hand on her shoulder, giving her a sympathetic look.

"I know that this is hard on you, Aleena, but it is the only way to assure the fall of Robotnik. It is not only for the best of Mobius, but for your children as well."

Aleena was silent for a long moment, as she tried her best to hide her tears.

"...You are right, my friend," she finally said. "Even without your prophecy, my children would have a better chance of living without fear if they are not with me."

The Oracle nodded.

"Yes. And I assume you know the reason why I have given you three separate baskets instead of one?"

Aleena pulled her coat tightly over her, her long purple hair falling over her shoulders.

"...I not only have to separate myself from my children, but my children from each other. For keeping all three together could be just as dangerous..."

Again, the Oracle nodded.

"You were always a brilliant queen, Aleena. And a very kind one who always thought of others before herself."

He sighed.

"It is a shame that you have to suffer like this."

Aleena said nothing in reply. She then placed her hood over her head.

"Oracle...may I ask you one last request?"

Her voice was very soft and somber. The Oracle tried to meet Aleena's gaze.

"Of course, my queen."

It took awhile for Aleena to reply.

"...I want you to be the one who takes my children to better homes. I don't think...I can do it myself."

A small tear ran down her cheek.

"...I had a feeling you would say that," the Oracle replied. "Very well, I will do the best I can. And when the time is right...I will reveal all to them."

Aleena gave a small smile.

"Thank you. You are forever in my debt."

She stared at each of her children, leaning down and quietly saying goodbye to them. The Oracle backed away to give her some space. Once Aleena was done, she stood back up and walked up to the Oracle, tears running down her cheeks.

"Thank you again. I have faith in your prophecy."

And with that, she made her way out of the cave, going back into the cold wilderness.


	2. Episode 2

In one of the lowest corners of a dark, filthy city, a lone teenage green hedgehog with large spiky quills made his way through the streets. With a large, silver drum shaped medallion hanging around his neck, the young hedgehog moves his green eyes around from place to place. There, his eye caught the sight of a middle class woman, wearing a giant, valuable engagement ring on her right hand. The green hedgehog smirked, casually making his way closer to the woman. Whistling to himself, he pretended not to notice her as he 'accidentally' made himself run into her. The woman gasped and the hedgehog jumped back in shock.

"Oh, I'm so sorry ma'am!" the hedgehog exclaimed. "I totally did not see you there!"

He quickly rubbed his hands across her, seemingly trying to get any dust or dirt off of her. While she was distracted by his gesture, the hedgehog slipped off her engagement ring. Quickly putting his hand in his pocket, the hedgehog made one last apology before walking away, the woman still having an alarmed and confused look on her face.

Once the hedgehog was out of her sight, he smiled, inwardly praising himself for a job well done. He took out the ring from his pocket, studying the expensive green jewel with a careful eye. He knew that this was going to give the Thieves Guild some good cash! His mentor should be pleased by this find.

Putting the ring in a safe place, the hedgehog ran down a dark alleyway. Stopping at a dead end, where a large cloth hung on the wall, he glanced behind him to make sure no one was following him. He then lifted up the cloth, revealing a small passageway. He went inside, putting the cloth back in its place.

"Farrell, are you here?" the hedgehog called out.

"Home already, Manic?"

Manic walked in deeper down the passageway to a small room, where a large bug like man sat in a worn out chair. Farrell gave a warm smile as Manic approached him.

"You are a bit early to be coming back from your hunt in Robotropolis," he commented. "Did you have a hard time finding any goods to steal or were there too many swatbots in the area?"

Manic smiled.

"Actually, I had a really good run," he said with pride. "Look!"

Emptying out his pockets, Manic took out not only the ring he had stolen from the woman, but many other valuable jewelry and even a couple of wallets. Farrell's eyes widened in shock as Manic sat each item one by one on a nearby table. Once he had finished setting everything down, Manic looked up at Farrell with a large smile on his face.

"So, did I do good or what?"

Farrell was silent for a moment, his eyes carefully studying each item. A large smile made its way across his face as he gave a small laugh.

"Very good, Manic. You have really become a very talented thief."

A look of pride formed in his eyes.

"I was very fortunate to have found you at the front of my 'house' when you were just a baby. I don't know what I would have done without you, helping me getting all this valuable loot."

Manic smiled, a warm feeling going through him.

"I'm just happy to help out the guild! How many mobiums do you think all of these things are worth?"

Farrell laughed.

"I can't tell you on the top of my head, but I know it's quite a lot."

He then stood up and took up all of the robbed items.

"You did very well tonight, Manic. The rest of the night is yours for you to enjoy."

He started to make his way towards the passageway.

"I'm going to cash this in at the guild's main hideout," Farrell said over his shoulder. "I'll only be gone for a short time."

Manic nodded.

"Okay. I'll just be chilling here."

Farrell smiled.

"To be working on your drumming skills, I presume? I don't mind you playing, so long as it is not too loud to disturb anyone. You understand that, Manic?"

Manic nodded.

"I will try my best, Farrell."

Farrell smiled.

"That's my boy. I'll see you soon."

He then left the hideout. When he was gone, Manic quickly ran towards the other side of the room where an old drum set sat in the corner. Grabbing the two drum sticks he always kept in his carry-on, Manic sat down at the drums and started to play.

Being poor and living the life of a thief, he had never had the chance to really own something on his own, since he and Farrell always had to be on the run and careful in their actions. However, Farrell had allowed Manic to own a drum set, since he had always shown talent for the drums ever since he was a kid. Manic cherished his drum set, as it always gave him great joy whenever things got tough, for him or Farrell.

The life of a thief was not easy, especially in the capital city that was Robotropolis, but it was a fun and unexpected life. What more could he want in dark times like these?

* * *

"Sonia, are you almost finished?" an aristocratic mink demanded impatiently as he stood outside the dressing room of a clothing store. "Sonia, it is getting really late!"

He tapped his foot on the ground repeatedly.

"_Sonia_!"

"It's alright, Bartleby. I'm coming out."

The door to one of the dressing rooms opened, where a pink hedgehog with a keyboard shaped medallion stepped out, carrying with her a bunch of clothes.

"Is that all you are going to be buying today?" Bartleby said, sounding surprised. "I would have thought you would have more than that."

Sonia smiled.

"Lady Windimere said I needed to bring down my spending sprees," she explained. "So I'm trying my best to keep myself under control."

She let out a heavy sigh.

"But it is very difficult to only choose ten outfits instead of twenty, and when there are so many cute things to choose from!"

Bartleby nodded.

"Yes, my dear, I understand. But now it is getting really late and I promised Lady Windimere that I would have you back by ten!"

Sonia rolled her bright green eyes.

"Okay, just don't start making a scene. Let me go pay for these real quick and I'll be ready to go."

Bartleby nodded in reply. "I'll be waiting outside the store."

He then left her side and Sonia made her way to the cash register.

A part of her felt extremely irritated about her fiancé's contestant insistence to get going on Lady Windimere's behalf. Both he and her guardian would get extremely worked up over the littlest of things Sonia did, for she couldn't just go out and hang out with her friends without one of them constantly keeping an eye on her. Though Sonia never said anything out loud, since these were dark times and young aristocratic lady like herself could get attacked at any moment by thieves, she did wish that they would have a little faith in her.

Once Sonia finished paying for all her clothes, she met up with Bartleby outside the store and they left the Robotropolis Mall together. Going to Bartleby's car, he drove Sonia back to the aristocratic part of Robotropolis to Lady Windimere's house. Once there, Sonia said goodbye to Bartleby and grabbed her things. When he left, Sonia looked down at her watch to see that it was almost ten. She sighed in relief, knowing that she had made it back home in time. As she approached the front door, Sonia was about to open it when suddenly the door opened for her. She gasped as she saw a woman with long brown hair and wearing a light blue dress. Sonia gave a small smile.

"Hi, Lady Windimere. I just got back from shopping with Bartleby," she said. "And I'm right on time too!"

Lady Windimere nodded.

"I see, and I'm very glad that you are. But a few minutes later you would have been late."

She met Sonia's gaze.

"Come in and bring in your things. We need to have a talk."

Sonia groaned inwardly but said nothing in reply. With her things in hand, she walked inside the mansion and brought them to a servant.

"Set them in my room, please," Sonia said.

The servant nodded respectfully and made his way up the stairs. Once the two were alone, Lady Windimere gently put her hand on Sonia's shoulder.

"Sonia…I know you must think I'm being overprotective of you," she said softly. "But I hope you do understand I don't want to make you feel like I'm trying to keep you imprisoned. I just…want you to have the very best and be safe."

Sonia looked up at her guardian. Even though Lady Windimere was not her real mother, or family for that matter, she had always felt a strong bond with her. She had taken her in when her real family abandoned her, and it made Sonia feel grateful to know that she would always have a home. Even if it could be annoying at times.

"I understand," Sonia replied with a small smile. "I know you are just trying to be a good parent. Though a curfew of ten fifteen would be nice."

She gave her a large hug.

"I'm going to practice on the piano before going to bed. Goodnight, Lady Windimere."

Without another word, Sonia left the entrance hall and made her way to one of the large living rooms of the mansion. An elegant piano laid in the far corner of the room, where she positioned herself. Grabbing a sheet of music, she began to play, emptying her mind and letting the music take control of her. She smiled to herself, for in the end, what more could she want?

* * *

"Hey, Uncle Chuck, are you home?" a blue hedgehog with a guitar shaped medallion called out as he entered his house. "Uncle Chuck, Uncle Chuck? Did you hear me?"

No answer came. The blue hedgehog sighed; taking a huge bite out of the chilidog he was eating and making his way through the house. Since his uncle did not answer right away, he guessed that he was in 'the secret room.' Heading for the kitchen, the hedgehog put his hand behind the refrigerator and pressed a small button, which allowed the nearby wall to move and reveal a secret door. The hedgehog went inside, where an elderly light blue hedgehog was at some type of control panel. The blue hedgehog smiled.

"Hey Uncle Chuck, I'm back from that resistance meeting," he said loudly.

Uncle Chuck jumped slightly, quickly turning to face him. He smiled and gave a look of relief.

"Ah, Sonic! Sorry I didn't hear you come in," Uncle Chuck apologized. "I was busy looking at these reports on Dr. Robotnik's new swatbot shields. You would be surprised how quickly that man comes up with new technological advancements and upgrades."

He sighed heavily. Sonic gave a concerned look. Taking the last bite of his chilidog, he sat down at the seat next to Uncle Chuck.

"Is it really serious?" Sonic asked.

Uncle Chuck smiled slightly.

"Robotnik may always be one step ahead of us, but that does not mean we can't handle."

Sonic nodded in reply, appreciating his uncle's enthusiasm. Well…Uncle Chuck wasn't his _real_ uncle, but he always felt like his real family.

"So, sonny, how did the Resistance meeting go?" Uncle Chuck said, bringing Sonic out of his thoughts. "Were you young fighters able to come up with a plan to destroy Robotnik's new swatbot factory here in Robotropolis?"

Sonic nodded, a large smile appearing across his face.

"We sure did! And I'm sure that not only will this plan get that factory destroyed, but also make it less risky for the freedom fighters!"

Uncle Chuck's eyes glowed with interest.

"That's sounds promising… So what is this plan of yours, sonny?"

"Right now as we speak, Cyrus and his father are creating a super huge bomb that will completely destroy the factory with one explosion!" Sonic explained, excitement rising in his voice. "Once the bomb is ready, which mostly likely be tomorrow night, I will use my super speed to infiltrate the factory, set the bomb, get out of there and watch the fireworks!"

A look of worry appeared in Uncle Chuck's eyes.

"Will it just be you going in there?"

Sonic nodded.

"My first solo mission! Trevor said that I would be perfect for this mission with my supersonic speed! I'll be in there so quickly that none of the swatbots will be able to touch me!"

Though Sonic was completely confident in his abilities, since he had been training for dangerous missions like this since he was small, Uncle Chuck seemed less pleased.

"Sonic…I know that you are a talented fighter and your speed is mighty impressive," Uncle Chuck said softly. "But don't you think you will need a little back up?"

Sonic gave a sympathetic look.

"Uncle, you know that having someone along will only slow me down. We had a long discussion about it, and everyone agreed that me going solo would be the best option."

He gave his uncle a small hug.

"I know you are worried about me, but I promise I will be alright. I plan to make you proud once you see that factory explode!"

"I…never said I wouldn't be, Sonic," Uncle Chuck replied. "But…you can't blame me for worrying."

"I know, and I promise to be careful!"

Sonic walked towards the door.

"Well, it's been a long night, so I think I'll go practice my guitar skills before I call it a day. Night, Uncle Chuck!"

Leaving the room, Sonic used his supersonic speed to quickly get to his small bedroom, closing the door behind him. Next to his bed, a simple guitar laid on its side, and Sonic quickly picked it up and sat on his bed. He began to play, closing his eyes as he let the music fill his ears. The energetic music he played reflected the excitement he felt for his soon to come mission. The exciting life of a fighter fighting for his freedom, what more could he want in dark times like these?

* * *

"Dr. Robotnik, the security cameras are all in place, just like you asked," a small robot said as it levitated in the air. "Is there anything else you require?"

A large man sat in a giant dark chair, his red eyes staring lazily at the big computer screen that showed all of Robotropolis.

"Very good," Robotnik replied smoothly, his eyes never leaving the screen. "Are the cameras ready for transmitting?"

"Yes sir," the robot answered.

Robotnik smiled.

"Excellent. I want all the cameras around and inside my new swatbot factory on screen. I want a clear view of the area for when the Resistance launches their attack."

"Yes sir!"

The robot then levitated out of the room to carry out the order. Robotnik relaxed in his chair, feeling a bit excited as he waited to see what the troublesome Resistance will do.

Ever since he had taken over Mobius, the Resistance had always been a pain in his side for all the damage they had caused him, making most of his plans for completely conquering Mobius to become delayed and setting him back for months. However, as of late, the Resistance has been even more irritating than usual, as a new group of new freedom fighters have really been pushing their way through. Robotnik took an interest in this new group, mainly because their actions have been so fast and clean that he had no idea what kind people they were, what their identity was, or how big of a threat they could become. The only clue he had on them was that they were quick, along with being very intelligent.

And perhaps over confident.

Robotnik chuckled to himself, as he could imagined how confident these new freedom fighters would be about his new factory. True, he would lose the expensive building, which was a great annoyance, but if it gave him a closer chance of finding out the identity of these fighters, then he was willing to take the chance. Or mostly willing.

A few seconds passed until the entire big screen showed hundreds of camera footage, all live and waiting to capture the new Resistance forces. Robotnik's eyes moved from footage to footage, anxiously waiting for something to happen. And in the blink of an eye, it did. Before Robotnik could truly react, a huge blue blur moved from camera to camera, moving across the scene at a lightning like speed. Robotnik's eyes widened, for he had never seen anything like this before.

In one of the cameras, he saw that the blue blur drop something onto the ground. Robotnik focused his attention on it, seeing that it was some type of bomb. Again, before he had time to react, the bomb exploded, causing a large chain reaction to make the whole factory go up in flames. Most of the camera were destroyed as well and the valuable footage they contained.

Robotnik cursed with annoyance, but that was what he had expected to happen. Luckily, he had planted cameras a few feet away from the factory, where he hoped that one of them got good footage of the blue blur.

That blue blur...what could it be, Robotnik wondered. Was it some type of new secret weapon that the Resistance came up with? It was most likely, and if it was, Robotnik would have less of a chance discovering who this new effective group was.

Bring all the remaining camera footage on the screen, Robotnik played each of them side by side to see if he could get a good shot of the blue blur. Each of them played in slow motion, Robotnik carefully taking notion to every little movement. Eventually, the blue blur came appeared in one video. Robotnik waited impatiently for the blue blur to get centered, where he paused the video. Making it take up the whole screen, Robotnik studied it to see if he could get an idea to what the blur was. Just by seeing it paused, he could not make out anything about it. Clearing up the image and enhancing it, Robotnik zoomed in on the blur. Eventually, a figure started to show some form. It was not completely clear, but Robotnik could make out the faint form of a blue hedgehog.

Robotnik's eyes widened.

"_H-hedgehog_?!"

He could not help the fear in his voice.

A hedgehog...after all these years, was Queen Aleena _finally_ making her comeback?! Though he kept up endless searches, he could never find the queen or her newly born children. There was _no_ way that blue hedgehog was Queen Aleena herself, but perhaps one of her three kids, all grown up? Panic swelled into Robotnik's mind.

If one, or all four, of the royal hedgehogs were in the Resistance, then his legacy could come to a soon end. But if at least one of the hedgehogs was in the Resistance, why wouldn't they have made themselves known sooner? Why the delay in action? So many questions he had, but none of the answers truly mattered. He needed to act and fast before the Resistance, Queen Aleena, or her children could make another move.

Pressing a button on his control panel, Robotnik summoned one of his robots minions.

"What do you desire, my lord?" the robot asked.

"I need you to bring word to the local bounty hunters in Robotropolis that I have a job offer for them," Robotnik ordered. "I don't care who or what the amount of payment they want, I just need an effect bounty hunter brought to me now!"

"Yes sir!"

The robot quickly took off. Robotnik watched it go, sighing to himself.

The royal family was making their return, and he needed to be ready for them.


	3. Episode 3

In one of the dark rooms of Robotnik's fortress, two bounty hunters laid in wait for Robotnik. One of them was a wolf with blue fur for hair, wearing a yellow and red suit with a long purple cape. He was leaning against the wall, his eyes staring at the wall as lost himself in his thoughts. His partner, a large orange canine with very short and spiky blonde hair, sat in a nearby chair. His violet glasses fell down his nose a bit as he looked up at the wolf bounty hunter.

"Sleet, are you sure this was a good idea?" the canine bounty hunter asked in an Australian accent. "We've been waiting for almost thirty minutes now and he hasn't shown up."

"Be patient, Dingo," Sleet replied. "If Dr. Robotnik needs a bounty hunter as badly as his notice for one said, he will show up. There is no need to worry."

Dingo gave an unconvinced look.

"But Sleet...what if something goes wrong? Everyone knows that Dr. Robotnik is the worst person to work for. And it isn't like we've-"

"Shut it, Dingo!" Sleet suddenly snapped. "Risky or not, we _need_ this job! And it isn't like we have any competition to deal with."

He gestured to the empty room.

"Trust me when I say that we will gain more than what we will lose. As Robotnik's bounty hunters, we will be almost as powerful as he is. Do you understand that?"

Dingo blinked, trying to put Sleet's words into thought. When he did not reply right away, Sleet let out a heavy sigh.

"Just keep quiet and let me do all the talking."

"...Okay, Sleet," Dingo said.

Sleet growled softly as he turned his back on Dingo, staring again back at the wall.

Though he did not want to admit it, Dingo was right that this job was unstable. Even the toughest of bounty hunters have said that working with Robotnik, directly or indirectly, was a living nightmare. One wrong move, and you were a goner, and only the most skilled and experienced bounty hunters could have the chance of working for him. Or the most desperate and crazy.

Just before Sleet could get completely lost in thought, he heard a door open behind him. He and Dingo turned to see Robotnik coming down a fleet stairs, clearly in a bad mood. Robotnik studied both bounty hunters carefully.

"Are you the only two here for the job offer?" the tyrant asked.

Sleet smiled and nodded his head.

"It would seem so, great Dr. Robotnik. My name is Sleet and this is my partner, Dingo."

Dingo stood up at the sound of his name, making his way next to Sleet but not saying anything else. Robotnik, his hard expression unchanged, moved his dark gaze between the two of them.

"...You two don't seem to be that impressive, nor have I heard of you before," Robotnik commented. "Are you a new group of bounty hunters?"

Sleet continued to hold his smile, trying to keep his confident image up. Even though he could feel himself beginning to sweat.

"You could say we are, as we've never had an opportunity for a big job or to work for someone of high status as yourself. But I can prove to you that we will be effective to any job you grant upon us!"

"...Is that so?"

Robotnik looked unconvinced.

"Then tell me what you can do."

"Of course, sir," Sleet replied. "As a team, Dingo and I cover each other and use each of our strengths to fill in the other's weaknesses. I am very cunning and can come up with any plan for any situation. I can handle any bad situation and turn it into my advantage. And if you need a negotiator, I can be very charismatic."

He gestured towards Dingo.

"As for Dingo, he is very strong and capable of taking on many opponents at once. He can last a very long time on the battle field and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done."

Cautiously, Sleet made eye contact with Robotnik.

"As you can imagine, we are very capable of various things. I'm sure that you won't find any other bounty hunters more diverse than we are."

There was a long silence, Robotnik taking the time to put Sleet's words in thought. Sleet could feel anxiety start to build up, as the tensed silence was almost torturous. Dingo seemed nervous as well, for he kept moving his gaze between him and Robotnik. Sleet forced himself not to look at Dingo for too long, hoping that his partner wasn't smart enough to catch how he was truly feeling.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Robotnik said, "Are you sure that is all you are capable of? That you don't have any other special or hidden talents?"

Sleet felt his face become pale. "...What do you mean?"

"I mean is there any other secret techniques or tactics that you possess?" Robotnik explained, his voice and expression unreadable. "Anybody can just claim to have all of those traits you just listed and be very effective in their work. But what makes you two stand out that would make me want to hire you?"

Sleet paused for a moment before replying. Slowly, a small smile appeared across his face.

"Well, sir, Dingo does have this _one_ special ability that you may find...unique," he said. "Normally, I do not like to give out this information, but since you request it..."

Reaching out for his pocket, Sleet took out what looked like to be a small remote, similar to one that would belong to a TV. Robotnik raised an eyebrow, looking like he was about to make a comment, until Sleet took a step back from Dingo and pointed the remote at him. Dingo gave an uncomfortable look, but didn't say anything as Sleet pressed the button on the remote. A bright light then suddenly appeared around Dingo, his body twisting and morphing out of his original form. Robotnik's eyes widened, for soon Dingo had fully transformed into an exact replica of Sleet, from clothing to facial features.

"Before we became official bounty hunters," Sleet explained, slightly amused by Robotnik's shocked reaction, "I had brought Dingo to this scientist who experimented on him and gave him the ability to change his form, though not by his own will of course. With this remote, I am able to transform him into anything I wish him to be, making it the perfect tool for disguises and infiltrating."

He then activated the remote again to bring Dingo back into his original form. Dingo shivered a bit from the experience, but quickly regained his composure.

"I think you can understand why I wouldn't publicly announce it," Sleet continued. "As its uses can be disregarded if it was well known."

Robotnik nodded.

"Yes, and what a valuable tool it is."

He cleared his throat.

"Since you two are the only bounty hunters present, and with that remote of yours, consider yourselves hired."

Sleet's eyes grew wide, his heart almost stopping for a second.

"...We are very honored, Lord Robotnik," he said, trying to keep his excitement and relief under control. "When do you want to sign the contract and how long will we be working for you?"

Robotnik narrowed his eyes.

"There will be no contract. You now only work for me and me alone."

Sleet blinked.

"But sir...we are independent contractors. We don't solely work for-"

"If you want this job, then you will," Robotnik snapped, cutting Sleet off. "The job I'm about to hire you for requires your full loyalty and attention. Besides..."

His eyes grew dark.

"Now that I know that secret of yours, I wouldn't want it used against me in case you were hired by someone in the Resistance. Do you understand where I am going with this?"

Sleet stared at Robotnik, almost completely stunned for words. He knew that Robotnik was very paranoid and requested a lot from his employees, but never had he expected something like this. It was like he was selling his soul to a devil, a point of no return that could ultimately bring him to his doom.

"..._Sleet_..."

Even Dingo seemed to realize it, or at least the danger in it. Quickly coming up with a plan, Sleet glared at Dingo to keep him quiet before he turned his attention back to Robotnik.

"I understand _perfectly_," he said with a small smile. "And I promise you our full loyalty, so long as we have the benefits to back it up..."

"We will discuss payment on a later date," Robotnik replied. "And I will make it worth your while, don't worry."

He then opened the door he came from.

"Your first assignment begins now. Follow me."

Without another word, he walked up the stairs.

"Come on, Dingo," Sleet said, quickly catching up to Robotnik.

Dingo followed silently, though it was clear that he did not like this. Sleet tried to ignore him.

Eventually, the two of them met up with Robotnik in his control room. On the big computer screen, the picture of the blue blurred hedgehog was in full view. Sleet gave a puzzled look, taking him awhile to see what the blur was.

"Sir...what is that?" he asked.

"This picture was taken from the last Resistance attack on one of my new swatbot factories," Robotnik explained, his eyes glaring at the screen. "This is the lone attacker. A blue hedgehog with amazing supersonic speed."

Sleet said nothing in reply, but he couldn't help but feel slightly impressed. Was this hedgehog altered like Dingo, giving him his supersonic speed? He was curious, but decided it was probably best not to ask.

"So what makes this hedgehog so special?" Dingo bluntly asked.

Sleet glared at his partner for announcing such a stupid question.

"This hedgehog, whose identity I do not know, is one of Queen Aleena's three children," Robotnik answered, as if expecting an ignorant remark like that. "I want you two to track it down and bring it to me, preferably alive."

Taking a picture out his pocket, he approached Sleet and handed it to him.

"This is the only picture of the queen's children before they disappeared," Robotnik said. "Their names are Prince Sonic, Prince Manic, and Princess Sonia."

He then moved towards his chair and sat down.

"If you find one of them, there is a high chance you will find the other two siblings. And if you do, bring them as well."

Sleet and Dingo both studied the photo, which showed Queen Aleena laying in bed with her three newborn children. Dingo smiled.

"Aw...they are really cute."

Sleet slammed his elbow into Dingo's chest.

"Be quiet!" he snapped. "They're not even babies anymore, so don't get soft on them!"

He turned his attention back to Robotnik.

"You have my word that we will bring all three royal siblings to you."

He gave a small bow.

"And perhaps even the queen herself."

A faint smile appeared on Robotnik's face.

"Good. Then you can go ahead and start."

He sat up in his chair.

"Since you are now working for me, you have authority over my swatbots and access to any of my resources. You will also stay here while working with me, as well as have full contact with me whenever you are out, and I will assign you two rooms as soon as possible. Any questions?"

"No, sir," Sleet said.

Dingo nodded in agreement.

Robotnik smiled. "Good, now get going."

He then turned to face the computer. Taking this notion, Sleet and Dingo left the room. Once they were out, along with Robotnik out of earshot, Dingo gave a large smile.

"You were right, Sleet, this was a good job to get!" he exclaimed. "Not only do we get control over the swatbots, we will get paid lots of money too! We're almost as powerful as Robotnik!"

He paused for a second.

"Maybe our luck has finally turned."

A dark looked made its way onto Sleet's face as he turned to face Dingo, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"Don't get too excited," Sleet warned. "We only have this power because of Robotnik, and by staying on his good side. One wrong move, and we are back to square one!"

Dingo blinked.

"'Square one?'"

Sleet sighed.

"Forget it. Just as long we get the job done, we will be fine."

He took out the picture of the royal hedgehogs again.

"...Three little hedgehogs. All the power in the world and he is afraid of three little hedgehogs..."

"Uh...Queen Aleena isn't exactly small, Sleet," Dingo pointed out.

Sleet ignored him, his eyes moving from Sonic, to Sonia, to Manic. He gave a small laugh.

"This should be a simple task. And if they are in the Resistance, even simpler."

He started to make his way down the hallway again. Dingo, confused, quickly caught up with him.

"Do you have a plan?"

* * *

After celebrating his victory on destroying Robotnik's factory, Sonic made his way back home in the early hours of the morning. He was extremely tired, his eyelids becoming very heavy and even his speed was failing him. Never had he been this tired in his life. But at the same time, he was extremely happy. His first solo mission was a success, everything had gone according to plan without any problem! He couldn't wait to tell his uncle, that he had truly nothing to worry about!

When he arrived home, Sonic opened the front door and closed it behind him.

"Uncle Chuck, I'm home!" he called out, heading for the secret room in case his uncle couldn't hear him. "Uncle Chuck?"

He opened the door to the secret room, and to his surprise, Uncle Chuck was not there. He didn't hear him reply to his calls, telling Sonic that his uncle must be out. But why would he be out so early in the morning? Did someone else from the Resistance call him for something important? There was no way to know.

Sonic let out a loud yawn.

Where ever Uncle Chuck was, he should be back soon, there was no need to worry or dwell on it. Like a zombie, Sonic made his way to his bedroom and fell face first onto his bed, falling asleep instantly.

_"...Sonic, wake up..."_ A mystic voice rang in Sonic's ears just seconds after he had been asleep. _"Sonic the Hedgehog, you must wake up."_

Sonic mumbled in reply, his words muffled with his face down in the pillow. There was a heavy sigh, the mysterious voice talking to himself as Sonic tried to drain out his voice.

Suddenly, he felt a strong zap of energy go through his body, as if a fresh amount of adrenaline was passing through his system. Sonic reopened his eyes, sitting straight up with a spark of energy in his eyes.

"Good morning Robotropolis!" he exclaimed. "Oh yeah, I'm up!"

"And I'm glad you are."

Sonic blinked, turning his head to see that someone was in his room. Sonic gasped, as he was staring face to face with the Oracle of Delphius.

"Oh my God, how did you get in here?!" Sonic demanded, quickly getting to his feet.

The Oracle's calm green eyes looked down on Sonic.

"There is no need to be alarmed, young prince," he said. "I am your friend."

Sonic narrowed his eyes.

"_Right_, like I'd believe you!"

"Would this change your mind?"

Lifting his hand into the air, the Oracle used his power to make a freshly made chilidog appear in his hand. Sonic's eyes widened, his mouth watering as the aroma hit his nostrils. The Oracle silently presented him with the chilidog, in which Sonic's gaze moved between it and the Oracle. Ultimately, he decided to take it, gulping it down in one large bite.

"...Okay, I believe you," Sonic said with a mouthful of chilidog. "No enemy of mine would just give me a chilidog, especially one as good as that..."

The Oracle rolled his eyes.

"I see you are easily persuaded. But that makes things easier to explain."

"'...Easier to explain?'"

Sonic raised an eyebrow, giving a puzzled look. The Oracle nodded.

"Yes. For it is time you to start fulfilling your destiny, young prince."

Sonic stared at him.

"Okay...just what in the name of Mobius are you talking about? And why are you calling me 'young prince?'"

He paused.

"...Is this some crazy dream since I've lost so much sleep?"

"No, this is no dream," the Oracle replied. "I am very much real, along with that chilidog you just ate."

He paused to make sure he had Sonic's full attention.

"Sonic...have you ever wondered why you were adopted?" the Oracle asked. "Why you have that medallion around your neck and why you have the supersonic speed you possess?"

"Uh..."

It took a moment for Sonic to reply.

"...Yeah. And just how would you know all that?"

"Because I am the Oracle of Delphius. Seer of all and good friend to your mother, Queen Aleena."

Sonic felt like his mouth was about to fall off.

"_W-what_?!"

The Oracle nodded.

"Yes. After Robotnik took over when you were only two months old, Queen Aleena brought you to me so that I may bring you some place safe. Along with your brother and sister."

"_'Brother and sister_!?'"

Sonic leaned back against his bed, his eyes staring blankly as he let this new information sink in.

"...A brother and a sister... My mom, Queen Aleena!"

It was ludicrous, crazy to say the least. And yet...somewhere, deep in Sonic's heart, he found himself _believing_ the strange lizard person in a really outdated purple cloak with amazing chilidog powers. For a reason he could not explain...he _knew_ that this was right, almost like an instinct. The Oracle gave a small smile.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but you must find your siblings, Sonia and Manic, before it is too late," he said gently. "For Robotnik has already started to hunt you down."

"...Wait, how do I find them?" Sonic asked, still in shock. "Do they even know about me?"

The Oracle's image started to fade.

_"They will know of you shortly, and they will be looking for you too."_ The Oracle's voice was fading as well. _"All you have to do is listen to the song in your heart, and then you will be reunited."_

He then disappeared completely. Sonic stared where the Oracle once was.

"'Song in my heart?'" he questioned out loud. "What is _that_ suppose to mean?"


	4. Episode 4

Around ten o'clock in the evening, Sonia stepped into her bedroom after a long day of intense classes and hanging out with friends. She was physically exhausted, her eyelids were having trouble keeping themselves up while her body seemed to sway towards her bed.

However her mind was not as weary.

Moving her long pink bangs out of her face, Sonia slowly approached the large window of her bedroom, staring up at the gorgeous night sky.

Early this morning, Sonia was visited by a strange man in out of fashioned purple robe, who just magically appeared in her bedroom next to her bed. At the time, she was half asleep, so she didn't have the mental capacity to react. She remembered blankly staring at him, listening to every word he said with clear memory. He referred to himself as the Oracle of Delphius, saying that it was time for her to live out her destiny as Princess Sonia, daughter to Queen Aleena and sister to princes Sonic and Manic. He told her that she needed to find her brothers by listening to the song in her heart, where she would finally be able to reunite with them. By the time Sonia had fully understood what was going on, the Oracle vanished from her room, but his words still lingered in her mind.

She tried to convince herself that it was a dream and nothing more, but deep inside, a part of her kept saying that it was real and true. But it was crazy! How could she…

Sonia took a hold of her medallion and let out a heavy sigh, closing her eyes as she hoped that the stress from school wasn't getting to her.

Suddenly, a faint sound hummed in her ears, causing her senses to be on high alert. It was the faint sound of an electric guitar and drum set; playing a melody that had a strange sense of nostalgia and comfort to her. Sonia reopened her eyes. Was this…the song in her heart? Or was she going insane? Whatever the cause, Sonia had the deep urgency to go out and find the source of the music.

Knowing she was going to go mad if she didn't find out what it was, Sonia ran to her closet and took out a dark purple cloak. Quickly putting it on, making sure the hood covered her face, she then walked over to her small writing desk and wrote a small note on a piece of paper. In case something…were to happen, and Sonia could not get back home, at least Lady Windimere would have some idea what had happened to her. Though she hoped it wouldn't come to that.

After placing the note on her bed, Sonia silently left her room and quietly made her way down the dark mansion. Going to the servants' quarters, she grabbed a pair of spare keys and left through one of the back entrances to the mansion. Once outside, Sonia could hear the music grow slightly louder, telling her that she was on the right track. Quietly making her way down the deserted streets, she followed the growing guitar and drum music, getting slightly anxious, yet excited, for what she would find. If she really was meeting her brothers, what would they be like? Would they know anything about her, would they be happy to see her? Were they met by the Oracle? So many questions, so many answers that she was dying to know. But a feeling of dread came over her as she noticed that the music was leading her out of the aristocratic district of Robotropolis, taking her to the lower class of city.

Though it wasn't the 'bad part' of town, Sonia had never been outside the aristocratic area by herself. This was new territory to her, almost like a dangerous forbidden land. She could just imagine her fiancé's look of horror, chastising her for even _thinking_ about leaving willingly. But Bartleby was not here, and the only thing that was holding her back was herself. Her fear of the outside world. But the music, her supposed brothers, still called to her, and that gave her the courage to get out of her comfort zone.

Taking a deep breath, Sonia ran out of the aristocratic district, not stopping for anything as just let her heart follow the music. She dared not look around her dark, closed in, dirty surroundings, knowing that if she dared stop to think she would run straight back home. Eventually, after what seemed to be an eternity of running towards the unknown, she found herself what seemed like the center of town, where the music was at its loudest. Sonia stopped right in her tracks.

A single light illuminated the street, where two figures other than Sonia stood. They were Sonic and Manic and without a doubt, Sonia knew that she was face to face with her long-lost brothers. And from what she could tell, Manic and Sonic seemed to know it as well, for the look of their green eyes gave it all away. The three of them stared at each other in silence, as if afraid to make the first move. Slowly, Sonic was the first one to take a step closer.

"So...did you guys hear the music that was playing here?" he asked in a slight awkward tone.

"...Yeah, I did," Manic replied softly, slowly approaching Sonic. "I heard a really awesome duet between an electric guitar and electric keyboard. Though they really could use a drummer, if you know what I mean."

Sonic raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't hear any guitar. All I could hear was a wicked drum and keyboard playing in almost perfect harmony."

"...And I just heard a drum set and a guitar."

Taking off her hood so that they could see her face, Sonia approached her brothers. Her heart pounded in her chest as she forced herself to keep her voice steady.

"We all heard a different combination of instruments, yet we all agree that they are missing something," Sonia said. "There is also no one here but the three of us. Meaning that music that we were hearing..."

"Came from our hearts," Sonic picked up. "Because we were told that the song in our hearts..."

"Was the only way to find our long-lost siblings," Manic finished.

There was a short silence. An overwhelming feeling of joy went through Sonia.

"Sonic, Manic..."

"...Sonia..."

Like it was an instinct, the three of them came together and gave each other a big group hug. Sonia smiled, feeling the closeness of her newly found brothers. Even though the situation made no logical sense, she had never been this happy in her life. It felt like a long forgotten part of her had finally returned, a part that she had never known because of the separation. But a large question came into her mind...

The three of them back up a tiny bit, but they were still close enough for their arms to touch.

"...How come I've never heard of you two until now?" Sonia asked. "Why were we separated, and just who is this Oracle of Delphius?"

"I don't know, but that oracle does make really good chilidogs," Sonic replied with a small smile. "But, yeah, it was kind of weird how he just showed up out nowhere."

He paused.

"That _did_ happen to you guys, right?"

Both Manic and Sonia nodded.

"He just came to me as I was about to take my early morning walk," Manic said. "I just thought he was a nut at first, but now... I'm not so sure."

"Well obviously he wasn't lying," Sonia said. "But that just raises more questions..."

There was a short silence.

"...But let's worry about that later," Sonic said, trying to lighten the mood. "I want to know more about you guys!"

Sonia smiled.

"I want to know more about you two as well."

She cleared her throat.

"For me, I was adopted by an aristocratic family and, I will admit, haven't really been down to the lower classes that much..."

She gave a slight embarrassed laugh. Manic smiled slightly.

"Ah, a rich girl, are we?"

Sonia tensed up a bit. Manic's gaze softened.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend," he explained. "It's just I grew up on the streets and never had much."

"Oh..."

Sonia did not know how to respond.

"Guess that makes me the guy in the middle," Sonic said. "I've lived with my adopted uncle, just barely getting by, while also working for the Resistance of course."

Manic's eyes widened and Sonia gasped.

"You are in the Resistance?!" she exclaimed.

Sonic nodded, a look of pride glowing on his face.

"Yep! And I don't know if you two have heard, but it was _me_ who blew up that swatbot factory the other night!"

Sonia felt like her jaw was about to drop.

"Dude, that was you!?" Manic said shocked. "Oh my God, that was _amazing_!"

Sonic smiled. "And it was a solo mission too!"

"_Solo_?!"

Manic seemed very impressed. However, Sonia did not feel the same admiration.

"You blew up that swatbot factory all by yourself?" she questioned, crossing her arms. "That's impossible. Those places are heavily guarded, there is no way a single person could invade one of those factories without help!"

"Well, that's because I have a special talent," Sonic explained, sounding slightly arrogant. "One that I'm wondering if you two possess too."

Sonia blinked, a spark of curiosity forming in her eyes.

"And what is that?"

Manic gave a look of interest as well. Sonic smiled.

"Well, my bro and sis, I-"

"_Help me_!"

A scream of pure terror cut Sonic off, causing a sinister tension to rise in the air. It sounded like the cry of a child, like he was being ruthlessly attacked. Sonia felt the color drain from her face, a feeling of terror rushing its way into her. Manic also looked alarmed.

"Dude, it sounds like someone's in trouble!" he exclaimed. "We better get out of here before the swatbots come."

"Yes," Sonia agreed, trying her best to keep the fear out of her voice.

Sonic gave a look of shock.

"You guys can't be serious? How can..."

He stopped in mid sentence.

"You know what, forget it," he quickly continued. "You guys aren't freedom fighters."

He turned his back on them.

"Sonia, Manic, let's meet back here tomorrow night. I'm going to save that kid."

Sonia and Manic gasped.

"What, are you crazy?!" Sonia cried. "You can't possibly go by yourself! Sonic!"

But it was too late, for in the blink of an eye, Sonic used his supersonic speed to run off in the direction of the continuous cry. Sonia's eyes widened, amazed at his super speed.

"Come on, sis," Manic said, a determined look appearing in his gaze. "We can't let him face the swatbots by himself."

"B-but what can we do!?" Sonia replied. "If we interfere, we may get arrested by the police!"

"Not if we ditch them quickly enough."

Manic met Sonia's gaze.

"Look, I know you've had a...strict background, but this is our _brother_ who is putting himself in danger! I don't know about you, but I don't want him to get hurt."

Sonia looked horrified. "I-I didn't mean..."

But Manic already left, recklessly putting himself in the arms of danger just like Sonic.

Sonia stood where she was, frightened of what to do. She was scared of getting in trouble, and her first instinct told her to run straight back home before the danger found her. But she was also scared of what would happen to her newly found brothers. Sonia clutched her fists tightly.

Oh, what Lady Windimere and Bartleby would say!

Just like Manic, Sonia dashed towards the sound of the screaming child. Though now it was sounding more like a fight, with the sounds of hissing lasers and clashing of metal. Soon enough, Sonia found herself at the source of the fight, right in front of the Robotropolis Bank. Fighting them single handily, Sonic ran between swatbot after swatbot, using his speed to quickly move pass them and have them ending up shooting at themselves. Sometimes he would jump into the air and destroy a swatbot's head with incredible power. He was a skilled fighter, no doubt coming from years of experience with the Resistance.

In the back, fending off the few swatbots that weren't distracted by Sonic, Manic shielded a little boy from the terrorizing robots. Holding a lead pipe, he threw it hard to destroy any of the swatbots who came close, more and more coming as he guided the boy to safety. Though he was putting up a fight, it was clear he was getting overwhelmed, and he was not going to last long by himself.

"You are under arrest, citizen."

One of the swatbots was able to get a hold of Manic's arm, using its other arm to point its laser straight at him. Manic's eyes widened. Turning to the kid, he pushed the boy back and ordered him to run. The boy, stunned by fear, stared at Manic. Eventually, he took off in a run, the swatbots too occupied with Manic and Sonic to take notice. Once the boy was at a good distance, Manic stabbed the lead pipe through the swatbot's head, freeing himself and continuing to fight again. But then more and more swatbots came, and one was able to get behind Manic and aimed its laser right at his head.

"_No_!"

Like something snapped inside of her, Sonia grabbed another large lead pipe and dashed towards the swatbots. The swatbots turned their attention towards her. Narrowing her eyes, Sonia used all of her strength to swing the pipe like a baseball bat, hitting the swatbot straight in the head. It caused major damage, sparks of electricity coming out of its head as the swatbot fell to the ground. Manic stared in shock, as Sonia swung at the swatbots one by one. She was soon right next to Manic.

"Are you alright?" she asked, breathing heavily as her heart pounded in her chest.

Manic gave a faint smile.

"I'm fine now, thanks to you."

Just then, Sonic came rushing towards them, destroying all of the remaining swatbots.

"You guys okay?" Sonic asked concerned.

Manic nodded.

"We are, thanks to Sonia and her awesome swatbot batting."

Sonia smiled nervously, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Well, I..."

Sonic smiled.

"Congratulations on destroying your first set of swatbots. We are always looking for strong fighters for the Resistance."

He met both of their gazes.

"You two should really consider joining. Since you are my brother and sister, you would have no problems getting in."

"I've always wanted to join the Resistance," Manic said. "Though I just never got the chance."

Sonic nodded.

"Then perhaps this is your chance."

Sonia gave an uneasy look.

"Well, there is a lot to consider before joining something as big as the Resistance..."

"Yeah," Sonic agreed, "like getting out of here before swatbot reinforcements show up."

He took a hold of Manic and Sonia's hands.

"We'll have to keep quiet for awhile before we take the chance of trying to get back home," Sonic advised. "And I know the perfect place to hideout until it gets light out."

Sonia's eyes widened.

"Wait, what about our guardians?" she questioned. "Shouldn't we let them know what is going on and let them know what happened?"

"It would be too dangerous," Sonic answered. "Though I hate to worry my uncle, they may get in trouble if they are spotted with us. It's for their own safety if we just keep our distance."

"B-but-"

"He's right, Sonia," Manic said sympathetically. "I'd rather have them worry then put them in danger. And I'm sure they will understand."

Sonia was silent for a long moment, her mind racing as she imagined Lady Windimere's reaction to her attacking swatbots and being on the run. But, she did not want to put her in danger, nor did she want to leave her brothers while they were in as much trouble as she was. Sonia let out a heavy sigh.

"...Alright. But just where are you taking us, Sonic?"

Sonic smirked.

"You'll see. Just hang on tightly."

With his grip tightening on her hand, Sonic used his super speed to run into the deeper, darker areas of Robotropolis, while dragging Manic and Sonia with him.

* * *

As the fight between the swatbots and the hedgehog triplets endured, Sleet and Dingo watched from the bank's security cameras. They were inside the bank's surveillance room, recording every second in hope to get good footage of the royal hedgehogs. A large grin appeared on Sleet's face as he recognized the green, blue, and pink hairs of each of the royal siblings. Dingo stared at the footage.

"Wow, Sleet, I can't believe we got all three hedgehogs!" he exclaimed. "But, shouldn't we call for reinforcements so we can capture them?"

"Not yet," Sleet replied, his eyes never leaving the screen. "I want to know who they are first before we capture them."

Dingo gave a puzzled look.

"But they are the royal hedgehogs. Isn't that enough?"

Sleet rolled his eyes.

"I mean who they are as citizens," he explained. "Obviously they have been living in Robotropolis for some time, so they _must_ have some sort of identification. If we can find out who they are, who they are close to, we can use their loved ones to our advantage."

It took awhile for Dingo to reply.

"Oh...I think I get it."

Sleet sighed in reply.

Once the fight was over, and Sonic, Sonia, and Manic were no longer visible, Sleet began to transfer the footage to Robotnik's main computer.

"Hopefully by the time we get back, Robotnik will have the identity of the hedgehogs," he said. "Come, Dingo, we need to get going."

Getting out of his chair, Sleet walked passed Dingo, who closely followed.

"You know, this job seems a bit too easy," Dingo commented. "And I wonder if it will continue to be this easy..."


	5. Episode 5

Like his life was flashing before his eyes, Manic held onto Sonic for dear life. The speed he was going at was almost too much for him handle, making him feel like he could die at any moment. He couldn't tell how well Sonia was taking it, but he doubt she was any better off than he was.

As quick as the experience came, Manic felt Sonic start to slow down. He halted himself in front of a house, it looking completely deserted. As Sonic let go of his and Sonia's hands, Manic studied the area around him as he regained his composure. They were actually not too far from his hideout with Farrell, in the lowest parts of Robotropolis where theft and attacks were common. Why Sonic decided to bring them here to hide out from swatbots, he could not guess, as he assumed the swatbots would search this area the most.

"W-where are we, Sonic?" Sonia asked, her eyes moving around nervously. "What part of town is this? It's so...dirty and dark!"

"Its...not one of the _nicest_ part of Robotropolis," Sonic said with a small laugh. "But one of the best safe houses for the Resistance is here."

Manic blinked.

"Are you talking about like an underground fort or something?"

Sonia shivered a bit. Sonic shook his head.

"No, I'm talking about that house right here."

He pointed to the house the three of them stood before. Walking up to the front door, he activated a hidden keypad and started to type in a code. Manic was impressed on the high security system, however he could see some fault in the setup and position if a master thief were to hack it. Once Sonic finished putting in the code, the front door unlocked.

"Hey, anybody hiding out here?" Sonic called out as he opened the door.

There came no reply. Sonia and Manic gave puzzled looks.

"Sorry, had to check if anyone else was using it before we just strolled in," Sonic explained with a smile. "If anyone in the Resistance was in big trouble here in the city, like we are right now, they come here to hide out until it was safe for them to come out."

"That's cool," Manic replied. "How many safe houses are there in Robotropolis?"

"Oh...a good amount, at least one or two in every district of the city. Except for the aristocratic area, since it is so rare, and dangerous, for freedom fighters to be in there."

"It is dangerous, with Robotnik always having a close eye on us," Sonia said. "And the fact most, if not all, of his supporters come from there."

She walked up to the door.

"Is it safe to go in?"

Sonic nodded. "Be my guest, sis!"

Sonia gave a small smile and went in. Manic soon followed her. Once they were all inside, Sonic locked up the safe house and used his supersonic speed to turn on all the lights in the house. It amazed Manic how he just used his speed so casually, making him wonder how long it must have taken to gain full control of it.

As for the house itself, Manic was surprised to see how high-tech it was, as the living room and garage was covered with computers. There was a small hallway, which he assumed that led to the bedrooms and bathroom. He made his way to the small kitchen that was at the other side of the living room, opening the fridge to see if there was anything to eat.

"Looks like it's been awhile since anyone has used this safe house," Sonic said as he observed the area.

He saw that Manic was looking inside the fridge.

"If there isn't anything to eat, I can make a quick stop and get something."

Manic closed the fridge.

"It's cool. I don't want to risk you getting caught."

A large yawn escaped him.

"Besides, I rather get some sleep to be honest. It's been a long night."

Sonic nodded in agreement.

"So...do we get our own separate rooms?" Sonia asked. "Along with a shower and a change of clothes?"

"Yeah, you can have your own room," Sonic answered, "there's more than enough beds for us. We freedom fighters need all the room we can get in times like these. There should also be some extra clothes if you look through the drawers...although they might _not_ be what you are used to..."

Manic couldn't help but grin at that comment.

"It's alright, I just need some sleeping clothes," Sonia replied, though her voice hinted some uneasiness. "But what about the shower?"

"There is a bathroom somewhere, but if you are going to bathe, don't use too much water. We have limited supplies."

Sonia's eyes widened.

"_Limited supplies_...!"

She suddenly shook her head.

"Sorry..."

She paused.

"...I'm going to take a shower and then go to bed."

She walked towards the hallway.

"It was nice meeting you, Sonic, Manic. Hope you guys sleep well."

"You too, Sonia," Sonic said.

Giving a small smile in reply, Sonia left the room.

"I bet this is a real shock for her," Manic said once Sonia was out of ear shot, "with her being an aristocrat and all."

"I bet, but I can't say I sympathize with her a little," Sonic replied. "I mean, I'm still shocked that I even _have_ siblings!"

Manic smiled.

Yeah, that was still a big surprise, still feeling like some kind of strange dream. But it was real, for Manic could _never_ have dreamed of having an aristocrat and freedom fighter for long-lost siblings!

"We should probably be getting some sleep too," Sonic said, breaking Manic out of his thoughts. "We need to be on high alert tomorrow for whatever comes our way."

"Yeah," Manic said. "Guess I should go find myself a place to crash. Night."

"Night bro!"

Going down the hallway, Manic looked around to find himself a room. Choosing a door on his right, he opened it to see a single bed with a small closet and dresser. Weariness fell over him quickly as he got himself ready, as the toll of the day finally started to take effect. Turning the lights off and getting himself in bed, Manic closed his eyes and let sleep take over.

* * *

"Manic!"

_Manic's eyes shot wide open at the sound of his name. He found himself back in his home, laying in his bed. It was unusually dark, a sinister feel in the air. Something was not right, making him feel on edge. _

_"Farrell?" Manic called out, desperate to hear his mentor's voice. "Farrell!" _

_No response came, only a dreaded, cold silence. Manic quickly got up from his bed, slowly making his way down the dark hallway. His heart beat accelerated, a deep instinct inside of him saying that he should be on his guard.  
_

_Eventually, he reached the end of the tunnel. __Manic gasped in horror, for he saw that his home was overrun with swatbots. The whole place was in ruins, the old furniture destroyed and scattered all across the room._

_"Let me go, let me go!" _

_Manic's eyes widened as he saw Farrell being taken away by the swatbots, forcing him out of their hidden home. _

_"Farrell, no!"_

_ Manic ran after them, ignoring the swatbots that were firing at him. A few them tried to get in front of him and block his path, but Manic would find a way to slip pass them. He would not let them get away with this! He would not let them take Farrell! _

_Soon Manic dashed out of the house, but even though Farrell was taken out before him, his mentor was nowhere in sight. The whole outside was covered in a thick fog, making it almost impossible to see anything but a faint outline. Manic glanced around frantically. _

_"Farrell! Farrell, where are you?!"_

"Eh he he he!"

_A mocking laugh came in reply. Manic froze, as two figures started to take form in the fog. He could not see their faces, but he could make out the outlines of their canine like features and bounty hunter like clothes. One of them took out a gun and pointed it at Manic. _

_"First your guardian and now you and your siblings!" the shadowy bounty hunter exclaimed. "Prepare to meet your fate as Robotnik's robotized minions, royal hedgehogs!"_

_ He and his partner laughed in union. In between them, another figure began to take form. The fog lighted around the figure's face, revealing to be a cyborg version of Farrell. Manic screamed, tears filling his eyes as the medallion around his neck glowed bright green._

* * *

Manic woke up in a cold sweat, panting heavily as Farrell's cyborg face still burned fresh in his mind. He sat up, his mind still trying to process where he was. He took a strong hold of his medallion around his neck, which felt unusually warm.

What...what _was_ with that dream? There was something off about it, something that made it feel hauntingly real.

But before Manic could dwell on it more, there was a loud scream. It sounded like Sonia. Eyes wide, Manic jumped out of bed and ran towards the sound. He opened the door to Sonia's bedroom, where she laid in her bed, her body twisting and turning. She was having a nightmare, as she screamed out somebody's name over and over again. Manic noticed that her medallion, which was laying next to her dresser, was giving off a faint glow.

What was going on?

"Sonia!" Manic exclaimed, rushing to his sister's side and shaking her. "Sonia, wake up, wake up!"

Eventually, his voice reached her, as she slowly started to open her tear filled eyes.

"...Manic?"

Manic nodded.

"Are you alright?" he asked concerned. "You were screaming really loud."

Sonia sat up in the bed, putting her arms around herself and shivering.

"...I-I had a nightmare," she confessed. "About my guardian, Lady Windimere, being captured by these two awful bounty hunters and being robotized! I-It was horrible, like I was actually there and seeing my home being burnt down before my very eyes!"

Manic felt his heart stop for a second.

"...Were you able to see the bounty hunters or were their faces hidden by a fog?"

Sonia blinked.

"Yes. That's exactly how it was! All I was able to make out was the fact they were dogs of some sort."

"And did one of them say something like, 'First your guardians get robotized and then you and your siblings?'"

Sonia's eyes widened.

"...How did you know?"

"Because I had the exact same dream," Manic answered. "Only with my guardian."

He walked over to Sonia's dresser and picked up her medallion. And just like his when he woke up, hers was giving off the same warmth.

"...Sonia, I don't think that was just a dream," Manic said grimly. "I think that was a _vision_. A warning."

Sonia gasped. "You don't mean..."

Manic's grip on her medallion tightened.

"It is possible. Those bounty hunters we saw must have been hired by Robotnik to capture us, maybe even kill us. They have gotten to our guardians and something is trying to warn us."

Sonia moved herself to the edge of the bed and took her medallion from Manic, putting it on.

"So what do we do?" she asked. "We can't leave Robotropolis without being seen. And we can't just...leave our guardians to a fate worse than death..."

"We may not have much of a choice," Manic replied. "If those dreams were visions, then most likely it is too late to save them. And even if we tried to...the chance of us succeeding would be slim, as you and I are not trained freedom fighters."

"But what about Sonic?" Sonia questioned, sounding slightly hopeful. "Maybe he can use his speed to get them out and back! He's already taken down a whole swatbot factory!"

Manic said nothing in reply.

He wished he could be as hopeful as his sister, but he had already seen this happen to so many friends and fellow thieves. Once captured to be robotized, to become Robotnik's eternal cyborg minion, there was no going back. You were already good as dead, and Manic hated to admit it, especially to Sonia, who probably never had some close to her leave her like that.

"Let's wake up Sonic and come up with a plan," Manic finally said. "He probably had the same horrible dream about his uncle."

He then walked out of the room and headed for one of the other bedrooms. He looked through each one of them, but Sonic was nowhere in sight. He knocked at the bathroom door, but no answer came. He went though the living room, kitchen, and garage, but still no sign of his brother.

"Manic, come quick!"

Hearing Sonia's voice, Manic quickly rushed towards the front door. Sonia stared fearfully at a small note she held in her hands, reading it to herself over and over again. Manic's eyes widened, for he could tell just by the expression on her face.

"Sonic has gone out, hasn't he?"

Sonia gave a small nod.

"Yes. He said he was going to get supplies like food and drinking water, along with some clothes."

She looked up at Manic.

"It says he left around six this morning. What time is it now?"

Manic looked around for a nearby clock.

"...Six fifteen," he answered. "So he's been gone about fifteen minutes."

At least it wasn't that long ago. But with a dream like he just woke up from, he still couldn't help but worry. Sonia held a tight grip on the note.

"I guess the only thing we can do is wait for him to come back," she said, her voice cracking with fear. "It's too dangerous for us to look for him. We would only make things worse if we do."

Manic nodded in agreement.

"I hate to say it, but you are right. All we can do is sit back and keep quiet."

He went over to one of the few chairs in the living room and sat down, Sonia doing the same.

Hopefully Sonic's super speed can keep him safe from those bounty hunters, whoever they were.

* * *

"Wake up, you moron!"

Sleet's loud voice startled Dingo, causing him to wake up instantly. They were sitting at the main control room in Robotnik's fortress, watching the many cameras of the city to try to locate the royal hedgehogs. They have been at it since very early in the morning, though Dingo wasn't sure _when_ exactly, as they spent a lot of time going to different parts of the city and capturing the royal hedgehog's adoptive guardians to robotize them.

Using the identification system Robotnik had, the footage they got at the bank was able to match the three hedgehogs to a civilian identity. Ironically enough, they went by the same names, with all three of them coming from different backgrounds. Sonia, the adopted daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, Manic, a wanted thief raised by another wanted thief, and Sonic, a freedom fighter and adopted nephew of a well known Resistance member. By this information, Sleet believed that the three hedgehogs must have no idea who they truly were, and mentioned that by capturing their guardians it would a snitch to find them or get them to surrender easily. However Dingo was having his doubts.

"Sleet, we've been at this for _hours_ now," he whined, trying his best to keep his eyes open. "Maybe we should get some sleep and go after the hedgehogs later..."

"We can't," Sleet snapped. "The hedgehogs are on the run and we have to be ready to act at any moment! We cannot afford to let our guard down."

Dingo narrowed his eyes.

"But didn't you say that these 'three little hedgehogs' wouldn't be that big of a deal?"

Sleet growled, a dark look forming in his dim, tired eyes.

"Capturing them will be an easier task once we find them, but you forget Dingo that they are the _royal_ hedgehogs, and that we are working for Robotnik. If we screw up, as in allowing them to get away...it could mean the robotizer."

Dingo's eyes widened. Seeing that he got the point, Sleet returned his attention back on the cameras. Dingo sat in silence, his eyes hurting to look at the bright screens.

He was at it again.

Sleet was obsessing over a job again, over success. He was going to make sure that _nothing_ could make this job go wrong. He had done it for every job he and Dingo have been on together, and it seemed to get worse, Dingo noticed, every time they failed. When they accepted this job, one of the main reasons why Dingo had been weary of working for Robotnik was because of Sleet, how it would effect him if things were to go wrong.

"Sleet...perhaps you should take a break and have me keep watch," Dingo said, a hint of concern in his voice. "We can take turns, that way we can get some rest and still keep watch for the hedgehogs."

Sleet made eye contact with Dingo for a split second.

"If you are trying to get me to relax so that you can get some sleep, you are mistaken," he growled. "Besides, it shouldn't be too long before one of the hedge-"

He cut himself off. Confused, Dingo glanced over at the footage Sleet was looking at. Across the screen, the blue blur of Sonic sped across the cameras. Watching it going to the poverty part of Robotropolis, eventually stopping at a house. With Sonic in full view, he entered a pass code and went inside, carrying with a bags of supplies. Sleet gave a small laugh.

"And there we have them..."

He typed a few things down.

"I've sent the data to our ship's main computer," Sleet said. "Come on, Dingo. We are going after the hedgehogs."

He got up and started to make his way down to the hanger. Dingo closely followed.

"We are going to bring some swatbots with us, right?" he asked.

"Of course we are, you idiot," Sleet replied with a snap. "We are going to invade the house with full force and overwhelm them. No matter what, I will _not_ allow them to escape!"

Once they were in the hanger, Sleet and Dingo walked up to a large red vehicle. They went inside it, Sleet sitting in the driver's seat while Dingo sat in the gunner/passenger seat. Ordering a whole squad of swatbots to follow them, they left the hanger and made their way to the house Sonic went to.

The whole drive was in a deep silence, Dingo wondering and imaging how the capturing would go. He was very curious about the hedgehogs, and he had no doubt Sleet felt some as well. He was also curious what would happen if they _do_ successfully bring them to Robotnik, what would happen to them after that. A job becoming a success...that seemed like a far away dream.

Eventually, they arrived at the house, Sleet parking their vehicle right in front of it. He then ordered over a communicator for the swatbots to quickly infiltrate the building and capture anyone inside, bringing them straight to him and Dingo. Once the order was made, both Sleet and Dingo stepped outside. Swatbots immediately swarmed up to the house, blasting through the front door and garage. Their attack was ruthless and overwhelming, making Dingo glad that it wasn't _him_ that they were after. Sleet gave a confident smile.

"This should not take long at all..."

Minutes passed, the sounds of lasers and cries from the hedgehog triplets echoing through the morning. The dark sky started to burn with the first rays of light, making the sky look like it was on fire. More minutes passed, and the firing of the swatbots slowly started to cease. And there was no signs of the hedgehogs surrendering. Sleet growled.

"They're taking too long. Dingo, go in there and help them out!"

Dingo blinked.

"You mean through the blasted down door?"

Sleet stared at him for a second.

"No, through the wall, genius!"

"...Okay."

Picking up speed, Dingo charged straight at the wall, crashing right into the house. It hurt a tiny bit, but he had experienced things far more painful. Sighing to himself, Sleet walked up passed him, holding a gun in his right hand.

"Now, where are those blasted hedgehogs..."

"Did someone call us?"

After taking out the last two remaining swatbots, Sonic and Manic turned to see Sleet and Dingo. At the sight of them, their eyes widened. Sleet smirked.

"Ah, the royal princes, Sonic and Manic. What an honor it is to meet you."

Aiming the gun straight at them, Sleet slowly approached them. Dingo followed close to his partner's side, trying to look as intimidating as possible.

"_Y-you_!" Manic exclaimed. "You were the two bounty hunters who robotized our families!"

Sleet blinked.

"I'm not sure how you would know about that so quickly, but nevertheless, it is true."

He aimed the gun straight at Manic's head.

"Cooperate nicely, royal hedgehogs, and perhaps Robotnik will be merciful. Now, tell me where your sister is!"

Manic stood completely still, his eyes glaring into Sleet's. Sonic narrowed his eyes.

"Like we would tell you, Wolf-Face!"

Sleet sneered.

"Mind your tongue. I'm not afraid to pull the trigger if necessary."

"And you won't get the chance!"

Quickly turning to the hallway, everyone saw Sonia standing before them. She held a heavy brick from the half destroyed house, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Take this!"

Before anyone had any time to react, Sonia threw the brick right at Sleet. It hit him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground and drop his gun.

"Nice hit, Sonia!" Sonic praised, he and Manic running towards her. "Now let's get out of here!"

Grabbing them both by the arms, Sonic took off with his siblings. Dingo stood where he was, his mind still processing what just happened. And what he just saw. Sleet groaned as he got back to his senses.

"...W-what are you doing?!" he demanded, his voice cracking from the pain in his face. "_After them_!"

Dingo blinked, standing completely still. Sleet clutched his fists.

"Dingo, did you hear me!?"

"She's..."

A dreamy look appeared in Dingo's eyes.

"...She's _pretty_..."

Sleet slowly got to his feet, picking up his gun.

"And you're ugly!"

He gave Dingo a large shove in order to snap him out of it.

"Now let's get going before they can escape!"


	6. Episode 6

**Author's Note:**

**Hi guys! Hope you are enjoying the story so far. Though before we begin the chapter, I would like to address something.**

**In chapter four, I was notified that I had really gotten Manic's character wrong during the fight scene with the swatbots. Looking back on it, I had realized that I made him weaker than I intended to. I have fixed this, and I would also like to apologize for it. Especially for a story like this, I hate to get a character wrong, and while I will tweak with his character a bit, along with the other characters as you may have noticed, and I will do my best to make sure it will not happen again.**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter and please review!**

* * *

Making sure he held a tight grip on his siblings, Sonic ran as fast as he could to get away from the invaded safe house. Swatbots were all over the area, firing at them as Sonic tried his best to navigate around them. He feared for Sonia and Manic's safety, for one wrong move could severely hurt them while going this speed. He had to get to someplace safe and fast, but it would be almost impossible to find one, even with his super speed, with so many swatbots chasing them.

"S-Sonic!" Manic exclaimed, trying to make himself heard. "Y-you need to slow down!"

Sonic's eyes widened.

"What?! Why?"

"I-I know how to ditch the swatbots!" Manic explained. "If you can slow down enough for me to look around the area, we can find an entrance to the sewers and lose them from there!"

"A _sewer_!" Sonia shouted, looking at Manic like he had gone mad. "You can't be-"

"Sounds like a good idea," Sonic interrupted her.

Seeing that he had very few swatbots on his tail, Sonic slowed his pace. Manic glanced around the area.

"Okay...there is an entrance not too far from us," he stated with an optimistic smile. "Just keep running and I'll tell you where to go."

Sonic nodded.

"Alright. I'll leave it to-"

He was cut off as a laser was fired, almost hitting Sonic. He, Manic, and Sonia looked back to see Sleet, driving a bright orange motorcycle, was right behind them, followed by a small squad of swatbots. Sleet narrowed his eyes, firing his gun rapidly at Sonic along with the swatbots.

"Drat," Sonic cursed. "I'll have to go faster to lose them."

He picked up his pace, and he started to lose them. But as Sonic picked up speed, Sleet made the motorcycle accelerate more, going just the right speed to keep up.

"Turn left!" Manic shouted as they came across a streetlight, where Sonic responded quickly.

And so did Sleet.

"It looks like I won't be able to lose him so easily," Sonic remarked, his eyes glancing back at Sleet. "Manic, I'm not sure if I can lose him if we were to enter the sewers. We might have to just barge our way out of Robotropolis and hope for the best."

Sonia gave small look of relief.

"That's too risky," Manic replied. "The entrances to the city must be heavily guarded. It would take pure luck and a miracle to get through!"

He paused for a moment.

"...Wait! I know exactly how to lose them, while also getting us to the safety of the sewers!"

"How?" Sonia questioned.

"It's...a bit hard to explain," Manic said with a slight nervous look. "But just do what I say and I promise we will get out in one piece."

There was an uneasy tone in his voice, making Sonic question whether there was something more to it then what Manic was saying. But this was no time to question it, as Sleet was closing in.

"What do I have to do?" Sonic asked.

"I need you to keep running down this street until we come to an alleyway a little while from here," Manic instructed. "When we get there, stop there and I will open a secret entrance to the sewers."

"A 'secret entrance?'"

Sonia gave a suspicious look.

"...Yeah," Manic said, his eyes glancing at her for a split second. "...Anyways, while I get it open, I need you, Sonic, to distract the bounty hunter and make sure he doesn't see me. Once I get it open, I'll have Sonia call for you and then we will be in. Do you think you can do that?"

Sonic smirked.

"No problemo."

Kicking up a little more speed, Sonic raced down the street. After going down a few blocks, Manic shouted that they were coming up towards the alleyway. Once he saw it, Sonic slowed down to where he could drop off his siblings. He then sped up again, making a huge u-turn, him heading straight towards Sleet.

Sleet's eyes widened in shock, not having enough time to slow down or get out of the way. Sonic ran in circles around him, spinning the motorcycle around till it spun out of control. Sleet, and another voice, screamed, Sleet's body being flung out of the motorcycle. He crashed into the street, twitching in pain. Taking a hold of his cape, Sonic dragged Sleet out of the street and tied his cape to a lamppost.

"Well, it's been fun, Wolf-Face," Sonic said with a confident smile. "Tell Robotnik that Prince Sonic says hello!"

Sleet's eyes glowed with hatred, unable to come up with a verbal reply.

"Sonic!"

At Sonia's call, Sonic waved goodbye to Sleet and quickly went to rejoin his siblings. When he got there, a huge doorway was in one of the walls, Manic already inside.

"Get in, quick!"

Both Sonic and Sonia dashed inside where Manic quickly shut the door behind them and locked it. The room was completely pitch black, making Sonic feel completely blind.

"Manic, _where_ are we?" he asked.

"A secret passageway to the sewers, just like I said."

Sonic felt someone take a hold of his hand.

"It will get lighter once we get into the sewers," Manic explained. "I'll guide us there."

Taking a hold of what he believed to be Sonia's hand, Sonic let Manic guide him as he felt himself go down a fleet of stairs. As they went down, a small amount of light started to come through, making things easier to see. Eventually, they were able to see perfectly, as they got the end of the stairs and were right in the middle of the Robotropolis Sewers.

"Nice, Manic," Sonic said, impressed. "You really got us out that one."

Manic smiled.

"It was a close call. I know my way around the sewers pretty well, so I should be able to get us out of the city without any problems."

Sonia pinched her nose, her face twisting from the strong stench.

"This is _so_ disgusting!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe I'm _standing_ in a place covered in waste!"

Manic narrowed his eyes, seemingly offended.

"Sorry about that, princess, but it's the best I can do."

Sonia slowly removed her hand away from her nose, her bottom lip quivering as she calmed herself down.

"...At least we are safe from those goons," she finally said. "But I'm curious to know how you knew about that entrance."

"Uh...well..." Manic stuttered a bit. "...By living on the streets, you learn about secrets like these to, uh..."

"Get away from swatbots when they are coming after you?" Sonic asked.

Manic nodded.

"Yeah. Mostly for that reason."

Both Sonic and Sonia glared at him. Sonia crossed her arms.

"Manic...are you telling me that you are a thief or something?"

Manic avoided eye contact.

"Well...I had to survive _somehow_..."

A look of horror flashed in Sonia's eyes. Being an aristocrat, Sonic guessed that she would have harsh feelings towards thieves, and Manic being the opposite. This...this would be bad, and though Sonic didn't like the idea of his brother stealing, this wasn't the time to get on each others' nerves.

"Guys, this isn't the time to discuss morals," Sonic said as he noticed Sonia and Manic glaring at each other. "We need to focus on getting out of here and getting somewhere safe. After all, we are family."

"Yes...family."

Sonia took a heavy breath of air.

"I'll trust you for now, Manic, but once we are away from Robotropolis, we are going to have a talk about stealing, alright?"

"Like we are going to have to talk about you not getting all the luxuries that you once had?" Manic added.

There was a tensed silence.

"Look, we all were raised differently and have different beliefs," Sonic reasoned, his eyes moving between Manic and Sonia. "But we can't let that get in the way and get on each others' bad sides."

"I agree with you, Sonic," Manic replied, his eyes meeting Sonia's. "And I won't judge you as long as you don't judge me. I don't want to make my sister my enemy."

"And I'm not," Sonia answered. "But I will not go against my beliefs."

Manic nodded.

"Fair enough."

He studied the area.

"...It looks like we are on the north side of the city. So we will aim to go where the sewer empties out on the north side."

He started to head down a direction, Sonic and Sonia following close by.

"Though once we get out, the bigger question is _where_ do we go from here?" Manic asked.

"Maybe we should try to find that oracle guy that came to us," Sonia suggested. "He knew about us and was the one who brought us together. Maybe he would know what to do next."

"And maybe answer some questions," Sonic added. "Like why were we separated and why did mom give us up?"

"Or why now tell us who we really are," Sonia concluded. "And get our guardians robotize in the progress."

There was intense grief and anger in her voice, anger and grief that Sonic could not help but relate to.

Though he was grateful to the Oracle for reuniting the three of them, and for giving him the best chilidog he had ever eaten, he could not help but blame him a little for getting them in this mess. If it wasn't for him, Sonic would still be by his uncle's side, probably celebrating his first solo mission's success.

"That may be a great place to start," Manic said, "but just how are we suppose to find him? He could be _anywhere_!"

Sonia's expression darkened.

"Good point. However..."

She paused for a moment.

"...I remember in my history class we talked about how the Oracle of Delphius lived in a cave deep within the icy wastelands of northern Mobius. He lives there because it is isolated for the most part and have it to where only the strongest people can reach him to hear his prophecies."

"Yeah, but how will we get all the way up there?" Manic asked.

"I could get us there no problem with my speed," Sonic answered.

Sonia shook her head.

"That would be too dangerous. While I have no doubt you could get us there, Sonic, it cold would be too intense for you to just blindly run through it. We would need a snowmobile or some kind of guide, along with the proper clothing to protect us from the cold."

"So we will do just that."

An encouraging look appeared on Manic's face.

"Sonic can take us to the closest town, and then we will get supplies there. With his speed, he could probably get us there before Robotnik has the time to alert other towns about us."

Sonic nodded.

"Sounds like a plan! Oracle of Delphius, here we come!"

* * *

"Sir, just give us another chance!" Sleet cried, as he limped towards Robotnik. "Sir, I _beg_ you for another chance, please!"

Robotnik turned towards him, studying his battered appearance. Sleet's clothes were all torn up, his face all bruised and cut up. No longer did he have any dignity to him that Robotnik saw when he first met him, even if it was very little. Dingo, a little beat up as well, stood in the back, his eyes nervously moving between Sleet and Robotnik.

"I gave you the simple task of capturing the royal hedgehogs," Robotnik said in a low voice. "And _this_ is your results?"

He narrowed his eyes.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't send you two to the robotizer for your failure."

Sleet tensed up. He slowly backed away from Robotnik, un unsettling laugh escaping him.

"I admit, I _might_ have underestimated the hedgehogs capabilities," he said. "But I will not let this humiliation go unpunished. I _will_ capture them if it is the last thing I do! I promise you, my lord Robotnik, that I _will_ successfully bring them to you!"

There was a long silence, Sleet and Robotnik glaring into each others' eyes.

Robotnik could see a gleam of desperation in Sleet's gaze, the start of an obsession coming into effect. Robotnik could tell that he was not going to let this go easily, and though Sleet and Dingo had failed horribly, they were the only bounty hunters he had. If he were to ask for new bounty hunters, it would make him seem weak in the public's eye, and his strong control would start to slimmer away...

"...Get some rest," he finally said. "You look disgraceful."

Sleet blinked, seemingly shock as Robotnik turned his back on him.

"Once you are fully prepared, I will be sending to the place I know the hedgehogs will go," Robotnik said. "I will be sending you up north to capture the Oracle of Delphius."

Both Sleet and Dingo gave surprised looks.

"Why would they go to the Oracle of Delphius?" Sleet questioned. "He lives way up north, far away from Robotropolis. What makes you think the hedgehogs will go there?"

"Because the oracle was, and is, a trusted friend of Queen Aleena," Robotnik answered. "If anyone were to reunite the royal triplets after being separated for a long, it would be him. And if Sonic, Sonia, and Manic were to meet him, they would learn of their true potential, and I have to stop that from happening."


End file.
